BMTC driver held for rape bid, cheating

BANGALORE: Yeshwantpur police have arrested a BMTC bus driver-cum-conductor for allegedly attempting to rape a woman and cheating other women by promising them jobs.The accused has been identified as Siddharth, 29, a resident of Saptagiri College Road in Chikkasandra and a native of Davangere. He has worked in BMTC depot numbers 17, 07, 08 and 30 for four years.According to the police, Kavya (name changed) had filed a complaint against the accused alleging that she had come in contact with him a month ago while travelling in the bus. Knowing that she was returning home after attending an interview, he told her that he would get her a job in BMTC. He had also taken the photocopy of her BCom marks card.On May 15, Kavya called him and enquired about the job for which he allegedly said that the job order was with him and asked her to collect it. He asked her come near Tumkur Road and took her on his bike to Yeshwantpur bus station’s 15th level.“There he allegedly attempted to rape her, snatched her gold chain and locked her in a dark room and absconded. Based on the victim’s complaint, he was arrested. During interrogation, he said he used to target women who needed jobs and befriended them by offering free tickets. Later, he promised them jobs in BMTC and received sexual favours from them. He had also raped some women in isolated places,” the police explained.A gold chain worth Rs 80,000, a mobile phone and other documents have been recovered from him.